Liquid container



July 11, 1933. RUNNELS 1,918,215

LIQUID CONTAINER Filed April 17, 1930 gwucntoz PHULQUNNEL 5,

' Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL RUNNELS, F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB, BY HISNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

-INDUSTRIAL SOLVENTS INC., 01 INDIANAPOLIS,

INDIANA INDIANA, A "CORPORATION 01 LIQUID CONTAINER Application filed April 17, 1880. Serial No. 444,956.

My invention is concerned with a device suitable for use in removing dirt or stains from fabrics by the application of one of the usual cleaning fluids such as carbon tetrachloride or the lighter petroleum distillates.

Such fluids are customarily dispensed in bottles or cans having a removable closure; and in the cleaning operation, a cloth is moistened with the cleaning fluid and rubbed upon the material to be cleaned.

It is the object of my invention to provide in a single article both the supply of cleaning fluid and a cloth or pad through the medium of which the cleaning fluid is applied. A further object of my invention 1s to produce such a device in WlllCh the fire hazard will be minimized when an inflammable cleaning fluid is used. Still another object of my invention is to produce a device of the character described in which the cleaning fluid will not be subject to loss by evaporation or leakage.

'In carrying out my inventlon I employ a container in the form of a bottle or can having an opening at its top, and I cover this opening with an absorbent pad of felt or similar material which is preferably supported upon a rigid cap having one or more holes for regulating the escape of cleaning fluid when the container is inverted. De-

. sirably, between the cap and the absorbent pad there is provided a layer of blotting paper or some similar material which has the property of distributing evenly over the pad the liquid which passes through the cap and which when dry also has the property of sealing the container-opening to prevent loss of the cleaning fluid by evaporation.

In the preferred form of the invention the of the device; and Fig. 2 is a similar section through amodified form.

The bottle 10 illustrated inFig. 1 is of a shape which while not essential to my inventlon is convenient because of the fact that it may be readil grasped in the hand and also because its si e-walls are convexly curved in such a manner that the bottle will return to an upright position if displaced. The bottle has an upwardly extendin neck 11 to the ppemn in the upper end of which the cleanlng pa 12 is applied. The cleaning pad is conveniently a disk of felt or some similar absorbent material.

As a support for the cleanin pad, I may employ a cap 13 of metal or ot er rigid material which is desirablyupwardly convex in order to raise the center of the cleaning pad 12 to facilitate its use. The supporting cap 13 1s provided with one or more holes 14 through which the cleaning liquid may escape to the pad 12 when the bottle is inverted, these holes servingthe purpose of regulating the escape of cleaning fluid andpreventing flow at a rate can be absorbed by the pad.

Preferably, there is provided between the pad and the supporting cap 13 a layer of porous material 15, such as blotting paper. ThlS interposed layer of blotting paper performs a double function. In the first place, it receives the liquid which passes through the hole or holes 14 when the bottle is inverted and distributes such liquid uniformly to the pad 12. In the second lace, when it dries, 1t forms an eifective cl flsure for the container and'prevents evaporation of the cleaning fluid.

For the purpose of retaining the parts at the top of the neck 11. in place, I may provide the neck 11 externally with screwthreads adapted to be engaged by the screwthreads of a collar 16 which has at its upper end an in-turned flange 17 adapted to overlie the peripheries of the pad 12, su porting cap 13, and blotter 15, as is clear rom the drawing. Desirably, there is interposed between the top of the bottle-neck '11 and more rapid than the cap 13 and gasket 18 of any desired compressible material which serves the pursecurely .clamped in the position illustrated in the drawing.

l the device the container will receive itssupply of cleaning fluid, and that after the .absorbent pad 12 and the parts which sup- In the modification of my invention illustrated in Fig. 2, the container is in the form of a metal can 20 having a screw-threaded neck 21 at its upper end. At the upper end of the neck, the metal thereof is turned inward to provide a flange 21 for the support of the absorbent cleaning pad.

In this modification, the metal disk 13 is eliminated, and in place thereof I employ a piece 22 of stiff cardboard or similar material which may be covered on both sides with oiled paper or otherwise treated to make it impervious to the cleaning fluid. Above the sup orting member 22, is a blotting-paper dis 15, and the cleaning pad 12 is superposed upon this. The desired crowned shape of the cleaning pad may be obtained by the use of a small disk 23 of blotting paper, felt, or other absorbent material which has the function of causing the.

center portion of the cleaning pad 12 to .project upward beyond the top of the sleeve 16, which acts as before to hold the various parts in desired position at the top-container neck.

i I contemplate that in the manufacture of port it have been clamped in place by the sleeve 16 the lower edge of the sleeve will be crimped or otherwise treatedto make its attachment to the container of a permanent nature. Thereafter, there will be applied to the container a removable cover or cap 24, conveniently of metal. The device will be marketed in this condition.

When it is desired to use the container illustrated in Fig. 2, the cover will be unscrewed to expose the cleaning pad 12, and the supporting disk 22, which previously was imperforate, will be perforated from above with a pin or similar implement to provide an opening through which the cleaning. fluid,can escape to the blotting paper 15 and therethrough to the cleaning pad 12. I

This device has several advantages over that illustrated in Fig. 1. In the first place in the condition in which it is manufactured and sold, the container is completely sealed because of the imperforate nature of the supporting disk 22. In the second place the cleaning pad is of a more yielding nature and is more eflective.

When not in use, the container rests in the upright position shown in the drawing. As brought out-above, the disk 15 of blotting paper serves to prevent loss of any cleaning fluid by evaporation. When the device is to be used, it is grasped in the hand of the user, and inverted, whereupon the cleaning fluid will find its way through the hole or-holes 14, will be distributed by the blotting-paper disk 15, and will be absorbed by the felt cleaning pad 12. To hasten the distribution of cleanin fluid to the cleaning pad, the bottle may e shaken or tapped lightl When the pad 12 has become thoroughly wet with the cleaning fluid, it is rubbedupon the material to be cleaned in the usual manner.

When the cleanin operation is complete, the bottle is returne to its upright position, and the blotting-paper disk 15 dries to prevent any evaporation of the cleaning fluid. The sealing effect of the blotting-paper disk not only prevents loss of the cleaning fluid from evaporation, but also serves to minimize any danger from fire. As a matter of fact, if any cleaning fluid on the pad 12 should become ignited, the flame will be extinguished when the fluid on the pad is consumed, and no damage will be done to fluid in the container.

I claim as my iuvention:-

1. A container for liquids, comprising a hollow body having an opening at its top, said body being provided adjacent said openingwith screw-threads, an exposed absorbent pad covering said opening, and a collar having screw threads adapted to engage those of said body, said collar being pro-'.

vided with an inwardly projecting annular flange adapted to overlie the edges of said pad to retain it in position.

2. A container for liquids comprising a hollow body having an opening at its top,

an exposed absorbent pad covering said opening, a collar, and interengageable provisions in said collar and said body for holding said collar in place on said body, said collar being provided with an inwardly projecting annular flange adapted to overlie the edges of said pad to retain it in position.

3. A container for liquids, comprising a hollow body having an opening, at its top, a supporting member overlying said opening, an exposed absorbent pad above said supporting member, an annular retaining member overlying the edges of said pad to hold it in place, said annular member having a central opening to expose the upper surface of said pad, and a disk of porous material between said supporting member and said pad, said disk having a diameter less than the diameter of the opening in said annular member to cause said pad to present an outwardly convex surface.

4. A container for liquids, comprising a. hollow body having an opening in itstop, a puncturable member covering said opening, saidmember being of material impervious to the liquid in the container, pad of absorbent material cov member, a collar, means for ret collar in position adjacent said overlying said pad to retain it said collar having an opening t outer surface of said pad, an porous material dis and said member, s diameter than said opening.

5. A container f hollow body havin a puncturable member coveri an exposed ering said aining said opening and 111 position, 0 expose the d a disk of posed between said pad aid disk bein g of material imperthe container, an exnt material ooverin or retaining said pa and a disk of porous material ween said pad and said memg of smaller diameter than PAUL RUN N ELS.

g of smaller or liquids, comprising a ng in its top, ng said openay of April, A. D

g an openi dred and thirty. 

